Andersen WDH
08-13-2017, 12:26 PM
#2
Many using it at rv.net. You might want to try there.
08-14-2017, 10:24 AM
#3
Senior Member
No personal experience here, but I have been doing my own reading/research on the same topic. I have been reading about poor sway performance with the Andersen setup, and great experiences with the Blue Ox Sway Pro setups. I personally love the Andersen setup idea, and am trying to do my own research to see if it actually works. Not looking good so far.
08-14-2017, 10:52 AM
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Thanks Mike Up, I took a look at that again. Reds, I'm seeing a lot of problems with weight distribution. I really like the light weight and ease of use and adjustment, but I am not sure how well it works. It's too bad they don't do a money back guarantee like Air Lift if it doesn't work well.
08-18-2017, 10:58 AM
#5
Senior Member
We switched to an Andersen this year and in general I like it. I have an F150 with max tow and a 24 foot 7000lb GVWR TT. I am towing at close to the limit of my truck (imho) -- with a basic tension bar WDH didn't want to tow on an Interstate, with the Andersen properly set-up I am comfortable at 65mph.
You can't beat the Andersen for: weight (<1/2 of my previous setup); compactness (it easily stows in the TT); reduced noise; maneuverability; re-usability; serviceability; and its clean (except for the crap in my coupler from the previous WDH).
The challenge (and what people who are towing too much TT have an issue with) is getting the setup right. When you install it there is really only 1 adjustment -- the ball height. This avoids the problem of setting up the WDH with an empty TT and TV and then playing with washers/angles once it is loaded. However the ball height can be off by up to 3/4" and there is nothing you can do about it (I have mine lower against their recommendations because I'd be at the limit of my jack -- so I tow nose down).
Every time you hook-up you are in effect setting-up the WDH (via the tension nuts) and you really need to have this dialled in because there is a sweet spot between too much WD and not enough sway control. Keep in mind the amount of anti-sway is controlled by the tongue weight so if you had a TT that was too long and too heavy you are going to have a hard time finding the balance. I believe the other high-end WDH's use effectively 2 independent mechanisms and avoid this. That said, if you have more TV than TT (in my case say an F250 or a 5000lb trailer) you can pretty well follow their installation guidelines to take the slack out of the chains, make 3-4 turns, and just tighten/loosen 1/4-1/2 a turn based on load to fine tune (this is a feature since it gives you more fine grained control than playing with # of links like other WDH's).
My big issue is with Andersen and their guidance on setting up the WDH -- they really need a better step-by-step procedure. Their hook-up instructions are imho wrong since they in effect tell you to set-up with no weight (aka you and passengers) in the TV and no weight on the ball so when you add, in my case, 1300lb of payload after you raise the jack and load up it is no surprise the setup is wrong. I ended up driving a long stretch of Interstate (fully loaded) and pulling off at every rest area to make a minor adjustment (tightened 1/2 till it got worse and then loosened 1/4 until it felt right) and then marked that distance on the socket so I could find it again (counting threads is problematic).
The other annoyance is if you can't line-up the TV and TT before unhooking, the plate will be turned and you will have to follow their procedures to straighten it when you hook-up. This hasn't been an issue for me at any campground so far but when I park in my driveway the truck has to be at an angle so severe that I have to hook-up, pull out onto the street to straighten it, and then repeat the hook-up procedure.
You can't beat the Andersen for: weight (<1/2 of my previous setup); compactness (it easily stows in the TT); reduced noise; maneuverability; re-usability; serviceability; and its clean (except for the crap in my coupler from the previous WDH).
The challenge (and what people who are towing too much TT have an issue with) is getting the setup right. When you install it there is really only 1 adjustment -- the ball height. This avoids the problem of setting up the WDH with an empty TT and TV and then playing with washers/angles once it is loaded. However the ball height can be off by up to 3/4" and there is nothing you can do about it (I have mine lower against their recommendations because I'd be at the limit of my jack -- so I tow nose down).
Every time you hook-up you are in effect setting-up the WDH (via the tension nuts) and you really need to have this dialled in because there is a sweet spot between too much WD and not enough sway control. Keep in mind the amount of anti-sway is controlled by the tongue weight so if you had a TT that was too long and too heavy you are going to have a hard time finding the balance. I believe the other high-end WDH's use effectively 2 independent mechanisms and avoid this. That said, if you have more TV than TT (in my case say an F250 or a 5000lb trailer) you can pretty well follow their installation guidelines to take the slack out of the chains, make 3-4 turns, and just tighten/loosen 1/4-1/2 a turn based on load to fine tune (this is a feature since it gives you more fine grained control than playing with # of links like other WDH's).
My big issue is with Andersen and their guidance on setting up the WDH -- they really need a better step-by-step procedure. Their hook-up instructions are imho wrong since they in effect tell you to set-up with no weight (aka you and passengers) in the TV and no weight on the ball so when you add, in my case, 1300lb of payload after you raise the jack and load up it is no surprise the setup is wrong. I ended up driving a long stretch of Interstate (fully loaded) and pulling off at every rest area to make a minor adjustment (tightened 1/2 till it got worse and then loosened 1/4 until it felt right) and then marked that distance on the socket so I could find it again (counting threads is problematic).
The other annoyance is if you can't line-up the TV and TT before unhooking, the plate will be turned and you will have to follow their procedures to straighten it when you hook-up. This hasn't been an issue for me at any campground so far but when I park in my driveway the truck has to be at an angle so severe that I have to hook-up, pull out onto the street to straighten it, and then repeat the hook-up procedure.
Last edited by massspike; 08-18-2017 at 11:13 AM.
The following users liked this post:
Siskiyou (08-18-2017)
08-18-2017, 12:42 PM
#6
^ I Personally haven't read any good about the Anderson hitch other than it being simple. I've heard both sides saying it's Weight Distribution isn't good or good, and it's sway control being bad or good. Like I said both sides.
I had the Reese Strait-Line system and it worked good, extremely difficult to setup correctly, and instructions don't advise how to keep it from damaging itself when spring bars rub on cam lobes/brackets. RV net gurus advice dropping chain links far enough down, so that the bars are under cam lobe/brackets. This system only has 800 and 1200 lb bars and 1200 lbs were to heavy with the 2016 suspension. Couldn't get adjusted with spring bars under cam lobe.
I went to a Blue Ox sway 1000 lbs spring bar setup and LOVE IT. Much better in every way than the Strait-Line and the new truck handles and tow much better than the previous 2012 F150 with the Strait-Line.
If you get an Andersen, make sure it's returnable so if it doesn't work well with your setup, you can get a full refund.
I've heard others say it works with smaller trailers great and with larger trailer poorly. rv.net is a wealth of information from experienced users.
Good luck on your decision.
I had the Reese Strait-Line system and it worked good, extremely difficult to setup correctly, and instructions don't advise how to keep it from damaging itself when spring bars rub on cam lobes/brackets. RV net gurus advice dropping chain links far enough down, so that the bars are under cam lobe/brackets. This system only has 800 and 1200 lb bars and 1200 lbs were to heavy with the 2016 suspension. Couldn't get adjusted with spring bars under cam lobe.
I went to a Blue Ox sway 1000 lbs spring bar setup and LOVE IT. Much better in every way than the Strait-Line and the new truck handles and tow much better than the previous 2012 F150 with the Strait-Line.
If you get an Andersen, make sure it's returnable so if it doesn't work well with your setup, you can get a full refund.
I've heard others say it works with smaller trailers great and with larger trailer poorly. rv.net is a wealth of information from experienced users.
Good luck on your decision.
Trending Topics
08-18-2017, 01:22 PM
#8
Senior Member
#2 -- would be after years of use and at least you can re-adjust/replace it can you for some of the other anti-sway systems?
08-18-2017, 01:23 PM
#9
Senior Member
I have used one for 3 years and I love it. Towing my TT fully loaded at 7400 lbs.
I would say its strong feature is sway control, but weak on the WD side.
The instructions that come with it are garbage.
Most people that complain about this hitch do not know how to properly use it.
In order to obtain proper weight distribution and sway control you need to have a lot of force on those chains. Easiest way to do this;
Hook up trailer and WDH to truck
Lift trailer and back of truck using trailer jack, I like to lift it so I have just a little more rake than when unloaded.
Tighten both chains so they are tight and have the same number of threads sticking out
(you do not need any excess force when tightening)
Lower trailer and rear of truck with jack
As you lower, the chains will then pull with a lot more force.
I would say its strong feature is sway control, but weak on the WD side.
The instructions that come with it are garbage.
Most people that complain about this hitch do not know how to properly use it.
In order to obtain proper weight distribution and sway control you need to have a lot of force on those chains. Easiest way to do this;
Hook up trailer and WDH to truck
Lift trailer and back of truck using trailer jack, I like to lift it so I have just a little more rake than when unloaded.
Tighten both chains so they are tight and have the same number of threads sticking out
(you do not need any excess force when tightening)
Lower trailer and rear of truck with jack
As you lower, the chains will then pull with a lot more force.
The following users liked this post:
RedsRock302 (08-21-2017)
08-18-2017, 02:25 PM
#10
Senior Member
How tight is tight? How are you gauging that?
This is also my issue with their instructions. I followed a similar procedure with my old Husky tension bar system but with it you aimed for getting the bars parallel to the ground and no movement to tell you it was tight enough. For the Andersen it seems to be all feel e.g. what I did to calibrate mine.
